Newsletter 16 is going out to the mailing list at the moment. Only half of you will get it tonight, the rest of you will get it tomorrow. I'll also put it on the web site in the morning.

This will - hopefully - be the last bulletin to go out via a Windows mailing list manager. I've tried several and none of them cope very well with relatively large numbers of members (over 16,000 and growing fast). We're switching to a proper unix mailing list manager provided by our new web hosts (Pair Networks) so hopefully things like subscribes, unsubscribes and bounces will be dealt with in a more timely and efficient manner.

Regards

Rob

Here is the courtesy repost:

/// Contents
/// --------

Important Registration Update
US Service Changes
Mark 2 Price List
Voice Recognition Delayed
Get Unwired
Web Site Update
Welcome Aboard
Recruitment - C++ Programmers
Useful Resources


/// Important Registration Update
/// -----------------------------

The current registration database includes a large number of expired email
addresses and entries by people who may no longer be interested in
purchasing a player. As the shipping date for the Mark 2 approaches we have
decided to improve the accuracy of the information in the database.

If you are a registered client currently in the queue for a Mark 2 player
you should visit the new registration site at the URL below. Original Mk.1
owners should also visit if interested in the Mk.2 upgrade offer.

At the site you can confirm or cancel your registration. If you take no
action your registration will be automatically cancelled before we start to
ship the new player, and you will lose your place in the queue. You can
also choose to cancel your registration but remain on the mailing list.

The URL is http://www.empeg.com/register/

There is no point visiting this page if you have not already been allocated
a registration number! If you have recently registered but have not yet
received a confirmation please be patient - we hope to clear the backlog
soon.

Note that we are not taking any orders or payment details at this time -
the process is to improve the registration database and obtain statistics
to enable us to set future production ratios.


/// US Service Changes
/// ------------------

As part of our on-going commitment to customer service, we have improved
our US after sales support. We have replaced the previous support office
(which was supplied under contract by a third party) with a new support
center at our main site in Cambridge. This enables us to respond more
quickly to technical enquiries, and to ensure that the highest levels of
service are maintained at all times.

The US toll free support number has now changed to:

1-877-259-5295

Live telephone support is provided Monday thru Friday during the following
times:

04:30 - 18:30 Eastern
01:30 - 15:30 Pacific

We may extend these times as demand increases, however we also provide fast
email response around the clock - addresses listed at the end of this
bulletin.


/// Mark 2 Price List
/// -----------------

The Mark 2 price list has now been finalised. The base model has moved up
to 6Gb as previously announced, with 12Gb and 18Gb single drive models also
on offer. A 36Gb dual drive model completes the range.

6Gb (100 hours*) US$ 1199 UKP 750
12Gb (200 hours*) US$ 1299 UKP 810
18Gb (300 hours*) US$ 1549 UKP 970
36Gb (600 hours*) US$ 1949 UKP 1210

If you live in the EC you pay sterling, otherwise you pay US Dollars.
Sterling prices do NOT include VAT. The US$ prices do not include any
domestic import or other duties (currently zero rated to the USA).

All sales within the EC will attract VAT at 17.5% unless we are selling to a
registered person or organisation outside of the UK. Prices do not include
insurance and shipping. We reserve the right to modify any information without
notice.

* Approximate time capacity based upon 128K/sec encoding.


/// Voice Recognition Delayed
/// -------------------------

We announced some months ago that the Mark 2 car player would include a
voice recognition function. This will provide for control of many of the
player functions using spoken commands, and to this end the Mark 2 has a
microphone input jack.

We have licensed voice recognition software, designed for use in
environments with a high level of background noise. The noisy environments
that the software authors originally anticipated were factories and other
industrial settings - unfortunately it is taking us far longer than expected
to convert this technology for use in a car. Recognising spoken commands
when there is no background noise from the road, the engine and the music
itself is not too complicated; however the issues become more complex when
these factors are introduced.

With a finite development team and a seemingly infinite wish list of
features, we have felt it important to set priorities. We have promised
that the Mark 2 will ship with consumer release software, and that means
fixing all known problems such as synchronisation. We also feel that
certain new features are essential for the Mark 2 release, including support
for Ethernet which opens up developer and wireless applications.

At this stage we are not comfortable with including voice recognition in the
consumer software release. We have more work to carry out with the authors
of the licenced software, and a lot more in-car testing to perform.
Therefore we have decided that voice recognition will ship in a downloadable
Beta release, possibly when the Mark 2 is launched, or perhaps a little
later.

However, an important factor is that the hardware to support this feature is
present and working perfectly. Therefore the upgrade will simply
involve downloading a new software release from our web site - and, of
course, it will be free of charge.

We'll keep you updated with our progress in this exciting aspect of the
car player.


/// Get Unwired
/// -----------

As soon as we decided that the Mark 2 car player would ship with 10BaseT
Ethernet as standard, we started to think about wireless applications.
This is a common feature on many wish lists, and the "cool factor" of
loading music onto your player - whilst it is parked outside - cannot be
denied!

The Mark 2 supports synchronisation via Ethernet as standard, so the
simple solution for wireless connection is to add a wireless LAN
bridge. This device intelligently connects a wireless radio network
to a standard wired Ethernet.

We plugged an Apple Airport bridge into Hugo's MX5 (and boy does it
look great on the parcel shelf), an 802.11 WaveLAN card into an office
PC, and Hugo's Mark 2 empeg appeared on our local network! Emplode
can synchronise with it, you can telnet and ftp in (if you load the
developer image), and throughput is about the same as USB.

We're currently researching the best wireless products on the market
to connect your car into your home network, and we hope to offer a
wireless package with the Mark 2 car player. We're very excited
about the potential applications that this will open up - watch this
space!


/// Web Site Update
/// ---------------

After much bullying of designers, programmers and contributors, we now
have a target date for our new web site to go live - June 1st. In fact
we hope that it will be online a little sooner than that, so keep an
eye open!

The new site will include a major style revamp, improved product
information, better online support, a dedicated press section and a
much needed new ecommerce system.

Although the new site is intended to better present our corporate
identity, we also want to build upon our already close relationship
with technology enthusiasts. Therefore a second site will go live
alongside the main site - our very own Geek Site! It will include
a wealth of technical information, photos of prototypes, bio's of
the empeg developers and a lot of other cool stuff. The geek URL
will be announced nearer the time.

As well as updating our web content, we are changing host to Pair
Networks. Their service during our trials has been outstanding and
their connectivity is second to none. Our site is currently split
between a UK and a US host, which can be confusing as well as a
little inefficient. The new site will offer great bandwidth
throughout the world, and we think you'll notice the difference.


/// Welcome Aboard
/// --------------

We have two new faces to welcome to empeg.

David has joined customer services, with responsibility for answering
your emails and telephone calls. He's drawn the graveyard shift (not
that anyone goes home at 5:30 around here!), so he'll probably become
a familiar correspondent for many of our earlier time zone clients.

Peter joins our software development team in June, bringing with him
a wealth of embedded systems experience. He has contributed in no
small way to major international software projects, and we are very
pleased that he has decided to come and work with us.


/// Recruitment - C++ Programmers
/// -----------------------------

We currently have new positions for two C++ software engineers, who
will work on major OEM projects as well as the car player. The jobs
are both based at our main site in Cambridge, UK. We are looking
for experienced team workers of a high calibre.

For more information please contact [email protected].


/// Useful Resources
/// ----------------

Web Sites

The empeg web site at http://www.empeg.com/
The unofficial empeg BBS at http://empeg.comms.net/
The empeg developer's site at http://www.empeg.mars.org/
Download software updates from http://www2.empeg.com/upgrades/
Download source code from http://www2.empeg.com/sources/

Email Addresses

General information [email protected]
Sales enquiries [email protected]
Press enquiries [email protected]
Mailing list [email protected]
Tech Support [email protected]


/// end

We have licensed voice recognition software, designed for use in environments with a high level of background noise.

At this stage we are not comfortable with including voice recognition in the consumer software release.

Erum.. if you've licensed this, I'm assuming that some of the cost for the license is included in the cost of the empeg, or rather, if it is on a per-unit basis, the entire cost is covered in the cost of the empeg.

If Voice Recognition software isn't being shipped with the mk2's, are we still paying for the license for said software in the price of the mk2? or is it some kind of a site license which empeg is taking care of the cost of?

Just wondering, because although I'd rather have the mk2 sooner than later, 95% of the reason of my upgrade decision was because of the voice recognition software. Well... that's not entirely true. Since I've seen the new faceplate, I've fallen in love... ;)

(O|||||O)

Proud owner of mk1 #246, and will be so for at least another week 8)

Voice recognition is an amazing technology when it works well, in the movies that is, or like on Star Trek. But when it comes down to the knitty gritty, who feels comfortable talking to appliances with other company around? I mean, how foolish do you feel? Honestly. Once you get past the cool factor, it's a little embarassing. ;) I have a mytalk.com email address, and it's e-mail done over the phone, entirely with voice recognition. It's amazing, very accurate, but people wonder about you talking to your email. People will wonder the same thing, "why is this guy talking to his car" what a freak!

Calvin

You're not directly paying anything for the voice recognition system, i.e. we didn't increase the cost of the unit by $N when N is the cost of the voice recognition licence. In fact the 6Gb player is the same cost as the Mk.1 (the cost of the small drive hasn't changed much) so you get quite a lot of extra stuff that we haven't charged any extra for.

WMA is another good example - we pay a per-unit licence for this, but we'll be offering it to you at no cost.

The bit you didn't quote is that we hope to include VR in a simultaneous Beta release - it won't be preloaded onto the player, but you will be able to download it, albeit in a Beta state.

Rob

I think thats why it is important to have a configurable command word , or even better , a mode where you don't have to say a command word to get the EMPEG's attention for commands.

It would be really goofy if its a hardcoded command word. It will be sure to be uncomfortable for someone in some language or culture to say.

Empeg Kicks Ass
S/N 00203
<A HREF="http://www.iretro.com">http://www.iretro.com</A>

Rob, Hugo, UK people... what's a parcel shelf?

your fiend,
mafisto

I didn't get that from my reading of the newsletter, that the beta would be available immediately...I gathered that it would be available "shortly". The first is much better than the second, of course, so this news pleases me.

Fly me to the moon...

I'm guessing that would be what I've always called the 'package tray' -- that little shelf that goes between the top of the back seat and the back window - assuming you don't have a hatchback.

Bill

How comfortable do you feel staring at a box for hours on end? Whether it be your TV or your monitor? People get used to these things, it just takes time. Someone has to be the first. At least talking to appliances isn't as brain-dead as staring at a TV.

Fly me to the moon...

Yep, that's it. Most hatchbacks have them as well, except they hinge when you open the hatch.

Rob

>>It would be really goofy if its a hardcoded command word. It will be sure to be uncomfortable for someone in some language
>>or culture to say.

yes, finally there are someone who get it. I really hope that I can speak to my empeg in my native language, Chinese.
And the world would be so perfect if someone can find out how to display Chinese ID3 tag in empge.

EMPGE
SN# 00147

This is unfortunately, probably very unlikely. Most voice recognition software is tuned for a particular language, so would have trouble otherwise, and I think that is especially true here. I cannot say for certain, of course....

Fly me to the moon...

The mp3 tags are more within the realm of possiblity though. But empeg will need to see where the most demand is.

Fly me to the moon...

I>>The mp3 tags are more within the realm of possiblity though. But empeg will need to see where the most demand is.

I understand that. I know that empeg is all about wait after waited 1 1/2 year to get the Mark 1 and then another half year for the Mark 2 :).
I just hope that it will be done someday.

> I just hope that it will be done someday.

Actually, I'm kinda hoping that it won't be "done" someday. Done denotes that a product is complete and that you can move onto some other product (often discontinuing support for the previous product).

Hopefully, the wonderful empeg guys will continue to pour more and more into the empeg car so that it continues to evolve with new features (hopefully all software side :) ) This will continue to keep the empeg valuable and useable for many years instead of having to upgrade every year or two.

Kureg

You can set your command word to a whistle ("here doggy") and the empeg will woof back to indicate its ready for a command.

Calvin

I think that people in general are used to quietly looking at human artifacts. People have always read books, studied art, watched tv, seen movies so introspection and observation is acceptible in society. However, while you may be comfortable talking to a human artifact alone, you will find that you're not as comfortable when there are lots of people watching. Have you ever tried using Dragon Naturally Speaking in an office cubicle with coworkers all around you? How do you feel about people yakking into their cell phones while you're waiting for a plane at the airport? The fact is in this society people are not comfortable when people are speaking to artifacts. I am of course, making wide sweeping generalizations.

I think when it comes to control of appliances, the best sort of interface is either a barely audible or not audible interface. Perhaps a slight nod, a wink, some sort of subtle body language, perhaps a whisper. But this isn't going to be any time soon.

Calvin

You may be overlooking a salient point here... when talking to the empeg, you are not going to be in a public place -- you are going to be in your car, isolated by glass and sheet metal. Outsiders are not going to notice you talking to your empeg.

The "insiders" -- i.e., any passengers in your car -- will be so totally entranced and impressed by the "cool factor" of a stereo that you can talk to that you will be looking for opportunities to show it off, not embarassed by it. In fact, you will get precious little opportunity to talk to your empeg because your passengers will be competing for the privilege of doing it themselves!

I think when it comes to control of appliances, the best sort of interface is either a barely audible or not audible interface.

Well, maybe... but it depends on the amount of information you need to impart to the appliance. If it's just "TV: On", then yes, simple is better. But when you want something like "Empeg: Haydn Trumpet Concerto, second movement, the performance with Winton Marsalis as soloist, use equalizer setting #7, set volume to plus 3", then a wink and a nod just isn't going to do the trick.

Given those circumstances, I think voice recognition is the best way to go -- certainly better than navigating through layers of submenus by keeping one eye on a little credit card sized remote, another eye on a small in-dash screen, and your third eye on the road...

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

another reason i hope it's configurable...

I can't wait to be standing outside of my Jeep and turn around and casually yell SHUT UP! and the Empeg stops playing.

HOT... it wouldnt be anywhere near as cool if i have to say EMPEG > VOLUME = ZERO.

the other thing about voice recognition , is the more complex the commands (such as wake up commands) , the more room you have for error. I know the opposite seems more plausible in accuracy , but to be honest , thats more chances for the unit to ignore you if you don't say the command properly. Which can lead to you giving commands in a sub-menu you dont want to execute that command , and have to start from the top again.



Empeg Kicks Ass
S/N 00203
<A HREF="http://www.iretro.com">http://www.iretro.com</A>

That's not really what I was saying; people will get used to it. I think people are already getting used to cellphones; I know I am not bothered by people talking on them around me. I mean, if someone interrupts an important conversation with me to answer the phone, that is a bit annoying, but it has only happened to me when I was talking to someone naturally inconsiderate.

It really depends on the configuration of the voice interface...

Note: This post is entirely conceptual / brainstorming.

Like I said, when you're by yourself it's perfectly fine, but how about in a car full of screaming kids, or relatives?

I think body language can convey almost as much information as voice. If things get too loud, you just wave the volume down. You can take one finger pointed and a movement across the neck like a knife will shut the music down. Take a look at sign language, and the multitudes of information that it can convey, a tiny subset of that can easily be used for appliance control in the future. If you think minute motions of a single hand can't possibly convey that much information, think of what you can do with a computer these days by moving a mouse around. A decade or two prior, nobody would have thought it possible to do without a keyboard for computer control.

I'm not against voice recognition. If it's a choice between fumbling with a remote and voice recognition, then voice recognition might be something to try.

Does anyone here read Peter Hamilton's novels? Now Hamilton has a intriguing user interface called a datavise, a small implant where you can relay your thoughts into just about any appliance. Musical devices relay music directly back into the brain.

How do you feel about people yakking into their cell phones while you're waiting for a plane at the airport?

Well, Calvin, I don't know about the situation wherever you are from, but looking at crowded street in, say, Italy, you will almost always see several people talking loudly to thin air and gesticulating wildly. You won't even see their cellphones - they are in pockets, with almost invisible earpiece and mic on the connecting wire. That said, I do admit it will take some adjusting to start arguing with the dashboard...

Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
#5196

Currently, the voice recognition can't listen for key words - the garbage collector it uses just overflows & gets all confused. You have to hit a button then speak (like the Jaguar VR system). This is one of the reasons we're not really happy with it at the moment.

Hugo

Damn. Just going through messages today...this was also me, not logged in.
Sigh.

Fly me to the moon...

So you're completely comfortable if you are in a room with 2 other people talking loudly on their cell phones? I'm not saying I don't see it, but there's sort of a psychology to this. Basically when people talk, and you're within earshot, and the conversation is not directed to you, then you will as an outside observer feel a sense of exclusion. Any time you have human beings in close enough proximity for a period of time, and there is conversation that excludes one or more persons, then they will have a sense of exclusion. Most people will not vocalize this feeling of uncomfort, but it is there! At least from personal experience and the studies I've seen.

Obviously if you're by yourself talking on a cell phone or talking to your car stereo it doesn't matter much. But now picture 3 other passengers in your car and you're busy talking to the stereo, flipping through songs...? They will all look at your rather funny...... Especially since with voice recognition systems you'll have to speak up in a clear voice. So it would be much rather like a person yelling out loud, in a "are you listening?" voice about 1 foot away from every other person in the room. People will pretend to get used to it, but how weird is it? Give it some thought..

Calvin

That's fine. I think that Jeep guy will be happy that no key words need to be spoken....

Calvin

I have to say that most of my friends would be damn impressed if I was flipping through songs in my car by talking to it!

It's less intrusive than having a conversation on a car hands free kit, and practically everyone uses those these days (I believe they're about to become a legal requirement throughout Europe for mobile phone calls). At least an "empeg conversation" is likely to be very short!

Of course, it's not really an issue anyway, as we have no intention of replacing the other control methods. This is an additional feature which some will love and some may loath.

Regards

Rob